Thousands of residents will get a cold splash of water when they open their monthly property tax bill on July 1.

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On Wednesday, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District board approved a hotly debated new water fee.

The tax was passed by a 6-1 vote, with Monterey County Supervisor David Potter as the only dissenting vote.

Homeowners can expect to pay an additional $30-$100 per year on their property taxes. The fee will not show up on Cal-Am water bills, and it will be collected by the county assessor.

Along with the fee, Wednesday afternoon's vote also created a citizens oversight panel, limited what the money can be used for, and added a sunset clause, as concessions to residents.

"The money will be dedicated 100 percent to water supply projects," said Rachel Martinez, water district spokeswoman.

In an effort to block the water fee from happening, more than 10,000 residents signed protest letters and launched a website. Two weeks ago, residents packed a public hearing held by the water board and argued that the new fee was unfair.

Leaders of the opposition effort said even after Wednesday's vote, they are still not backing down.

"We are going to get together with all of the impacted stake holders. We haven't taken anything off the table, including litigation," said Kevin Stone of the Monterey County Association of Realtors.

Potter is currently seeking re-election for Monterey County Supervisors District 5 in a tight race against Marc Del Piero. With the upcoming November election, Potter stood alone on the water board while siding with tax opponents.